Wings, Wheels and Water

Beech Skipper?

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What do you think of the Beech Skipper?

Beech Skipper

From a reader – “I am not a pilot yet. Not even a student pilot. I want to start flying lessons sometime later this year.  I am thinking about buying a plane and then receive instructions in it.  After some research, I am inclined towards buying a Beech Skipper.  The plane was only produced from 1979 -1981. What do you think of the Skipper?”

Buying is good.

Well to start, buying an aircraft to learn in, is a great way to go… if you know you like the aircraft before you buy it. The Beech Skipper is a nice trainer, and a comfortable run around aircraft.  While it might not be a great cross-country traveler, it can be used for that if you have the time.  It look’s like only about 350 of the aircraft were built, so production and finding a good one might be an issue.

Fly more than one.

First, I would make sure you fly in a number of different aircraft before you settle on the Skipper.  Many new pilots buy an aircraft and after the first few hours realize they really would rather have a different model.  I would start my lessons and get hours in a few of the different aircraft available.  Cessna, Piper, Beech and many others all have advantages or disadvantages.

Insurance?

From the insurance angle, buying your own aircraft and buying insurance is not a problem if you stay away from complicated (complex), high performance or very expensive aircraft.  The underwriters do not want to put student pilots in aircraft that will increase their chances for claims.

Typically, insurance rates will be about the same for the similar models of trainers.  I would guesstimate that a zero hour, student pilot could insure a trainer for under $1,200.  That number is based on a $20,000 hull value, two seats, fixed, tri-gear, and all metal trainer.  A Cessna 150 would probably be a little less than the Skipper, mainly because of the numbers of aircraft that the underwriters have experience with.

Premium Increases

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Premium Increases, still?

If you have been following the aviation insurance market (or received your recent aircraft insurance renewal) you probably noticed premium increases. We have been telling people 30 to 300 percent. That might sound steep, but we have seen some very big increases.

But don’t take it personal. It is an “across the board” increase.  Even the Cessna 172’s and Cherokees are going up, just not as much as the experimental or retractable gear aircraft.

Premium Increases

Reasons? I have heard everything from, repair parts availability, losses, hurricanes, fires, tornados, Boeing, age of pilots, the cost of automation, reinsurance and more.  The list can go on depending on who you talk to.  But the result is the same: premiums are going up; limits are going down and underwriting is becoming more stringent.

We have seen a large number of companies decline to quote new business based on; pilot age over 69 years, type of aircraft, age of the aircraft and more. Plus, there is one company out there that has been cancelling policies they don’t want anymore.  Many are old pilots in higher performance aircraft which is putting those people in a spot. Now they are at an age and in an aircraft that the other companies will not quote.

It seems bad, but I have seen rates like this before. I’ve been in the business long enough to see the ups and downs in rates.  There was a time when most companies had minimum premiums over $1,000.  And yes rates are up, but today you can still get liability only for some aircraft for around $300.

Anyway, rates are still going up. But compared to most automotive policies the rates are low. If you compare the hull values (and they are agreed values not actual cost settlements) and the limit of liability (usually a $1 million limit) aviation is very competitive to automotive.

What can you do? Keep flying. Hours help. Fly a simple, fixed, tri-gear certified aircraft. They still have the best rates. If not expect to pay more.  You can always lower the hull value, change to ground not in motion or eliminate the hull coverage all together and have liability only. There are a few options to discuss. Don’t let you current insurance expire, especially if you are over 69 years old or have an unusual or old complex aircraft. Once you expire, you become “new business” and they do not have to take you back.

And you can not compare your rates to anyone else. Depending when your friend bought their insurance, even with the increases they might pay less than you. And they would have to be identical to you with the same location, same age, same hours, same ratings etc…

One good thing is aviation underwriting does not use credit ratings to calculate rates like auto and homeowners. And they don’t check motor vehicle driver reports and use that as a factor in aviation insurance.  At least not yet.

WEBINARS SURPASS 200,000

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EAA WEBINARS SURPASS 200,000 TOTAL ATTENDANCE FOLLOWING MAJOR GROWTH IN 2020

More than 30,000 people have participated since March

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (September 24, 2020) — The Experimental Aircraft Association’s free webinar series, which has brought top aviation experts and personalities to online presentations for the past decade, has now welcomed more than 200,000 people to the sessions following substantial growth in 2020.
The webinars, which are supported by Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, have drawn more than 30,000 people since March 1 as aviation enthusiasts sought information and community during the COVID-19 pandemic. EAA expanded its webinar offerings to as many as four sessions per week in recent months.
“Achieving this attendance milestone well ahead of schedule is very gratifying to us, as it means we are reaching EAA members and other aviation enthusiasts with the information they want and the sense of community that is so important to us who fly,” said Charlie Becker, EAA’s director of chapters, communities, and homebuilt community manager. “The enthusiastic feedback we have received for this content means we’ll be planning for even more in the coming months.”
EAA’s webinar series at EAA.org/Webinars covers the entire spectrum of recreational aviation, from learn-to-fly and aircraft maintenance to weather knowledge and aviation history. All live webinars are free to all, with nearly 600 archived webinars available to EAA members via the association’s video library.
Many webinars are eligible for FAA WINGS and AMT credits through the FAA Safety Program. The upcoming series in October and November currently includes the following sessions, with more expected to be added:
 Tuesday, October 6: (Homebuilders webinar series) $500 HUD; John Muzzoli
 Wednesday, October 7: The Looming Mechanic Shortage; Mike Busch*
 Wednesday, October 14: Strategies for Limiting, and Protecting Yourself From, Liability as an Aircraft Owner or Renter; Jack Harrington, Paul Herbers, Alan Farkas, and Jim Anderson
 Tuesday, October 20: Emergency Bailout Procedures for Pilots and Survival Equipment; Allen Silver*
 Tuesday, October 27: Flying Clubs – Growing Participation in Aviation; David Leiting
 Tuesday, November 3: (Homebuilders webinar series) Van’s RV-14; Greg Hughes
 Tuesday, November 10: International Aerobatic Club Turns 50 Years Old, Mike Heuer and Lorrie Penner
 Wednesday, November 11: True or Magnetic?, Prof. H. Paul Shuch*
(* – Eligible for FAA WINGS and/or AMT credits)

DON’T FOR GET TO LOOK FOR MY AIRCRFAT OWNERSHIP WEBINARS!